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fouthern ocean, and to have obferved the natives, of both fexes, of the Friendly and Sandwich islands, &c. almost inceffantly fwimming in the neighbouring ocean, and braving the waves when running frightfully high, either skimming over the liquid precipices, with all the facility of the finny race, or fhooting through the bafis of watery mountains, and re-appearing on the fummit of the waves, not only without difmay, but enjoying the daring exertion with ftrong expreffions of fatisfaction, and that too for many hours together, would almost induce us to believe, that man is more nearly allied to the fcaly tribe than is generally imagined.

The celebrated Dr. Franklin, that friend of philofophy and of man, obferves, that the whole human frame is fpecifically lighter than water, the head only excepted, which confifting principally of bone, ftrong and compacted, for the defence of the brain, is confequently heavier than its cubical fize of water; and he adds, were it not from timidity, we cannot naturally fink. He bids us look to the African, or the Indian, who can fit, lie, and ftand, almoft on the furface of the ocean, in its calm or perturbed ftate; or darting along, with a fharp-pointed knife in his hand, can engage, in mortal combat, the voracious fhark, and vanquish the fcaly monfter in his own element! So that, if in this refpect, it is not "confcience," it ís timidity, that "makes cowards of us all."

Bathing, therefore, muft prove highly conducive to health; and medical men affure us, that, in many cafes, arifing from a relaxed ftate of the nervous fyftem, fea-bathing is, in general, a fovereign remedy. Swimming, however, muft be the moft certain mode of deriving advantage from bathing; as, by ftretch

ing the limbs in the briny fluid, the whole fytem of nerves, arteries, and veins, receive a new and invigo rating tone, and the moft pleating fenfations pervade the whole frame.

This is the pureft exercife of health;

. . And that fame Roman arm,

Which rofe victorious o'er the conquer'd earth,
First learn'd, when tender, to fubdue the wave.
THOMSON'S SUMMER.

The public baths of this town are very pleasantly fituated without the Wefl-gate. They were built, a few years ago, by the late eminent phyfician, Dr. Hall. They are now the property of Edw. Kentish, M. D. who has made many neceffary improvements, in refpect both to particular conveniences, as alfo in the general appearance of the place. He has alfo added an apparatus for giving the gafeous fluids, in diseases for which their ufe experience has found falutary and, in order to extend the benefits of the inftitution, he has lately reduced the terms of bathing.

They confift of medicated vapour baths, hot, tepid, or of Buxton temperature; together with enclosed cold baths for ladies and gentlemen; alfo a large open, or fwimming bath, where young gentlemen acquire this neceffary and ufeful art, free from the danger of thofe fatal accidents which too frequently happen in large rivers, or deep ponds.

The fituation is peculiarly inviting; it enclofes a large area, elegantly laid out with gravel-walks, bordered with a variety of fragrant flowers: the whole being furrounded and interfected with lines of ornamental fhrubbery.

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BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

SOCIETIES, of voluntary affociation, have been found, by experience, to anfwer the moft valuable purposes. They tend greatly to leffen the poor-rate, which has been, in many towns and counties, during the late preffures, an intolerable buiden upon the induftrious and middling claffes of the community --They are alfo highly favourable in their moral influences upon the characters of their members. By operating as a fimulus to frugality and induftry, they counteract the pernicious tendency of parochial relief, which manifefly encourages idleness and diffipation. The lower clafs have little profpect of being able, individually, to lay up a comfortable provifion for old age; but by entering fuch focieties, they may fecure thefe ineftimable advantages, without being too much degraded. With thefe views, many a poor member depofits here his fhilling, when he has not another in the world. Indeed it is evident, that there are many, even in the lowest ftations, who would prefer fupport erned by their own exertion, however painful or laborious, to that received from a parish.

They likewife actuate the members of which they

the

*The benevolent Howard, count Rumford, Eden, Wood, Ruggles, &c. &c. in defcribing the hiftory and state of the poor, have fhewn pretty clearly, that much of the wretchednefs, and many of the vices of the lower claffes, in moft of the civilized countries in Europe, may be attributed to their extreme poverty and confequent degradation. The duc de Liancourt, in speaking of the ftate of morals in Pennfylvania, alfo fays, "Criminal offences are rare, fome thefts excepted, which are generally committed by people lately arrived from Europe, brought up in ignorance and penury, and whofe morals generally improve as they acquire a fmall property of their own."

are compofed, with fraternal affection; and their wife and laudable regulations against vice and profanenefs have tended to polish and civilize their manners, with more effect than even the ftatute-laws of the realm. While their fick and aged members are, in general, provided for with humanity and attention.

However diverfified the mode of their refpective adminiftration, the manner of conducting their annual meetings, or head-meeting days, the different ages of admitting or rejecting candidates, giving more or lefs to their fick and aged, a greater or lefs fum for funeral expences of deceafed brethren or fifters, and legacies to their furviving relations or friends; however various thefe regulations are, yet one general principle pervades the whole,---a tendency to promote the general good of the fociety, and embrace in its advantages all the members of which it is compofed.

In general, a fick or difabled member is allowed fix fhillings per week during a certain fpecified number of weeks; then reduced to one half that fum, till the member, by a lingering diforder, or difability to work, has exhaufted all his fick-money; he then becomes a penfioner for life, and commonly receives half-a-crown or three fhillings per week. The funeral expences are about forty or fifty fhillings, and fometimes three pounds. The legacy to the widow is from fix to ten pounds; with which fhe frequently trades in a finall way, and, with the parish allowance, fupports herself and her fatherless children.

There are between thirty and forty of thefe focieties of men in this town, which, together, confit of not less than five thoutand members. It is fuppofed there are nearly the fame number of female benefit

focieties,

focieties, which are, in general, more numerous than thofe of the men.

To detail thefe circumftances is far from being beneath the dignity of hiftory. "Homo fum, et` nihil humani a me alienum puto."---I am a man, and am concerned in whatever interefts man,---was one of the fineft fayings of antiquity.

SCHOOLMASTER'S ASSOCIATION.

We have already mentioned the names of the fchoolmafters in Newcastle, and have obferved how greatly the rich fhops, warehouses, and extensive compting-houfes are indebted to that ufeful clafs of the community, for the accuracy and expedition with. which their quondam pupils are capable of tranfacting bufinefs. We have only to obferve further, refpecting thefe gentlemen, that whilft they, as clerks, direct the concerns of the numerous benefit focieties, they are not inattentive to their own.

November 19, 1774, was held (fays Mr. Brand, in his 2d vol. p. 547) at Newcastle upon Tyne, the first meeting of the affociation of fchool mafters in the north of England. The object of the fociety, in this inftitution, was the relief of their diftreffed and aged brethren, and their widows and orphans. He adds, in a note, "See a pamphlet, intitled, An Addrefs to the Public in behalf of the Aflociation among Proteftant Schoolmafters,' &c.

The regulations obferved in conducting the concerns of this inftitution, are fuch as became enlightened men to plan, and men of integrity to execute. We will not, however, trouble our readers with a detail of the rules of this affociation; only, they are

upon

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